Handle having a retractable strap



3, 1965 G. K. TUTTLE 3,198,300

HANDLE HAVING A RETRACTABLE STRAP Filed May 31, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Aug. 3, 1965 G. K. TUTTLE 3,198,300

HANDLE HAVING A RETRACTABLE STRAP Filed May 31, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 INVENTOR.

147702/V5VJ United States Patent 3,198,360 HANDLE HAVING A RETRACTABLE STRA? George K. Tattle, 5110 Hiawatha Ave, Minneapolis, Minn. Filed May 31, 1963, Ser. No. 234,592 2 Claims. (Cl. Hit-57) This invention relates to the field of luggage and more particularly to apparatus used with luggage having an extendable shoulder strap.

Numerous means have been devised to provide handbags or other such articles of luggage with straps which can be buckled and folded several times to make use of the purse as a hand purse or one which may be suspended from the shoulder. Also, numerous means have been devised for supplying relatively large pieces of luggage with straps which can be used to pull the piece of luggage along a smooth surface to aid in its movement.

The present invention is directed toward the problem of carrying a piece of luggage, case, or other article, such as a bowling ball bag in which a. bowling ball is generally carried along with the bowling shoes and other necessary items. In fact, it has been found that it is somewhat awkward and difficult to open some heavy doors while holding the bag in one hand and attempting to open the door with the other. Furthermore, should the party carrying the luggage or case have to do so for any distance, an extendable strap or cord is most helpful, in helping support the load.

It is contemplated that a retractable strap or band may be used with a piece of luggage such as a bowling bag or large container which must be moved. It has also been found that it is desirable to have the strap retractable when not being used so that it may be kept in an out of the way position. It is also contemplated that there are certain uses for a readily releasable and detachable device which may be used with a piece of luggage when carrying it. The invention contemplates using a band or strap which is wound around at least one spool or pulley which is spring rotated so that the strap may be coiled back on the spool once the weight of the article is no longer supported by the strap. In fact, it has been found that in a particular embodiment, the coil which is used to rewind the strap or band may be situated within the confines of the pulley or spool and thereby reduce the necessary Volume required to coil the spring and strap.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved carrying structure for luggage.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an extendable support apparatus to aid in carrying luggage.

, It is still another object of the present invention to provide a compact structure having at least one device for extending and retracting a luggage support strap.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide support means with a strap which is movable over the strap support means to aid in supporting the weight of a piece of luggage.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bowling ballbag with an extendable shoulder support strap.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a releasably attachable device for use with luggage to give shoulder support with an extendable strap or. band.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which: I

FIG. 1 is a view of the apparatus as used with a bowling ball bag where the strap is extended;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bowling ball bag with a rear flap open to show the different compartments in the bag;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View of the structure for coiling the strap as seen in FIG. 2 with the upper portion of the bag on one side cut away to expose the coiling structure which also had a portion of its housing cut away;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the structure found in FIG. 3 for coiling the strap or a cord in which the spring is placed in a hollow portion of the pulley or spool;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the FIG. 6 taken along lines 55;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a strap support member to aid in a support of the piece of luggage; and

FIG. 7 is a drawing of an attachable device having one portion broken away to show the spool structure.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 generally, a multi-compartment bag 10 is shown which has a pair of sidewalls 11 and 12, a bottom wall 13 and a top wall 14. The front of the bag has a flap 15 for a compartment which would generally house the bowling shoes or other items. A lower compartment 16 has a bowling ball 17 contained therein supported in normal fashion. It should be specifically noted that sidewalls 11 and 12, bottom wall 13 and upper wall 14 are generally reinforced with material such as fiberglass or some other strengthening material. In fact, a partition 18 is shown in bag 10 which divides lowercompartment 16 from an upper compartment 20 and which may also be used to strengthen the device. The openings are closed by a flap 21 which is generally closed by a zipper 22 in normal manner. Situated at the top of the bag, are a pair of handle supports 23 and 24 l which may be used to support the bag 10 in normal fashion.

Situated within upper compartment 20 and at the extreme sides of the compartment, are a pair of housings 25 and 26 which may be formed from any suitable materials such as a plastic material or some metal. Housings 25 and 26 are secured to the sides 11 and 12 respectively of the bag 10. As shown, housings 25 and 26 are closed at their end portions by a pair of end sections 27 and 2.8 respectively. It should be obvious that such are not required but they may also be used to strengthen the housings. The housings are formed much like a channel member which is enclosed and are shown in more detail in FIG. 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, housing 25 comprises a. pair of sides 36 and 31 where side 31 would be secured to side Wall 11. A shaft 32 has an enlarged center section 33 and shaft 32 is secured to sides and 31 in a transverse position between sides 30 and 31. It will be noted that bearing surfaces 34 are located between the ends of shaft 32 and the enlarged portion 33.

A spool 35 has extending flange portions 36 and 37 and contains a pair of bores formed in the ends or flange portions which engage the bearing surfaces 34 of shaft 32. Spool 35 has a hollow center 38 into which a spiral spring 39 is situated. Spring 39 is connected to shaft 32 at the enlarged portion 33 by any suitable means such as screws or by welding, etc. The other end of spring '39 is connected to spool 35 by screws 40 or other suitable means (as shown in FIG. 3).

Wound around the outer portion of spool 35, is a cord or strap 41. Obviously the cord or strap 41 may be of any type or configuration which is of a flexible band type structure. Cord or strap 4-1 is connected through pulley 35 and is held fixedly in place by suitable means such as a ring or knob 42. The spring 39 constantly urges spool 35 to rotate in a direction to retract cord 41. It should be obvious that once cord 41 is drawn in such a manner that spring 39 is tightened, that a rotational force is created on pulley to cause it to wind up coil 4-1 when ever the cord is not supporting the weight contained within the bag 10. It is also contemplated that similar structure may be supported in housing 26 to rotate the shafts from both ends rather than one end. However, it is certainly contemplated that for certain pieces of luggage, a single spool may be sufiicient to accomplish the help needed in supporting the piece of luggage.

To further aid in insuring that strap 41 does not bind, a roller 43 may be used which is rotatably disposed in 3. transverse position between housing sides 30 and 31 and adjacent the upper side of the housing in guiding relationship so that the strap bears against the roller to aid in the extension and retraction of the strap.

Where the luggage is extremely heavy or the load carried therein is extremely heavy, it may be desirable to provide additional support at the shoulder and strap support member 44 is provided for such purposes. Strap 41 is passed through an opening 45 in one end of strap support 44 and passes through a recessed portion 46 to the other end of support member 44 and out through an opening 47 to be returned to the other side of the bag. Situated within recess 46 are three rollers 50, 51 and 52 which are rotatably supported. Roller is in load bearing relationship with opening 45 to receive strap 4-1 and roller 52 is in a similar position to support strap 41 with respect to opening 47. Situated at the center of the support member 44 is roller 51 since it is contemplated that support 44 may be bent somewhat and formed from heavy leather, in single thickness or laminated, or a flexible material which can conform to the general shoulder supporting area of the body. It is also quite evident that as strap 41 is extended and retracted, that it may pass easily over the rollers and through the strap support member for ease in use.

Another version of the structure is shown in FIG. 7 which has the structure such as shown in FIG. 4 incor porated in a common handle 60. Handle may be formed by plastic moulding or may be formed from metal by common known means such as stamping or casting. The embodiment shown makes use of a plastic plate overlying the body 66 which has the cavities or channel members formed therein as found in FIG. 4. The structure in end 69:: is the same as that found in housing 25 and the structure in end 60b is the same as that found in housing 26 and identical to that in housing 25. Instead of a single roller 43 to guide strap 41, a pair of rollers 43 and 43a are used to guide the strap through the upper opening 67. Situated at the bottom of sect-ion 60a is a hook 61 which is fastened to handle 60 by suitable means such as a metal ring 62. In like manner, a hook 63 is connected to end portion 60b by a ring 64. Thus where it is desirable to have both a handle and the extendable strap, the device as shown in FIG. 7 may be employed by fastening hooks 61 and 63 to the rings or adjacent elements engaging handle supports 23 or 24 or any similar such construction which is generally found on all luggage.

It is also contemplated that the strap or cord may be made adjustable to provide a varying length. One such means of providing adjustability is to adjust the strap length by storing any excess in the strap support member and hold the strap in place by suitable means such as snaps or buckles cooperating with the support member. Where only one spool is used to retract the strap, it is convenient to adjust the opposite end of the strap for the proper length Without regard to modifying the support member. Furthermore, it is contemplated that the reference to luggage herein should also encompass all forms of cases and bags such as travel luggage, camera 4 0 cases, cases for field glasses and radios, brief cases, tool and tackle boxes, hand bags, etc.

As disclosed herein, a new and improved means of carrying a piece of luggage, case, or article has been set forth in which a mechanism is compact and may be extended or retracted as desirable. Where existing luggage is to be used incorporating the features of the invention, a separate device has been shown and described which will provide the features of the invention.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of this invention which consists of the matter shown and described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Extendable support apparatus to be used with a piece of luggage comprising:

(a) a hollow housing constructed and arranged in the shape of a luggage handle, said housing including a pair of spaced sides;

(b) a pair of attaching members secured to said hollow housing at its end portions and being adaptable to releasably engage cooperating luggage ring members;

(c) a pair of shafts securely disposed transversely between said housing sides at its end portions, said shafts having bearing surfaces formed thereon intermediate therein;

(d) a pair of hollow spools, each of which respectively has extending flange portions with bores formed through said spools for engaging said bearing surfaces of said shafts;

(e) a pair of springs, each of which is respectively wound around said shaft within said hollow center of said spool and has one end secured to its corresponding shaft and the other end secured to its corresponding spool, said springs constantly urging said spools to rotate in one direction;

(f) and a strap wound around said spools transversely between said flange portions, said strap being secured to said spools and extending through the upper side of said housing, said strap upon being extended rotating said spools and coiling said springs, and upon being retracted allowing said spools to rotate in said one direction Within said housing.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 including a cooperating strap support member, said member having a pair of openings formed therein adjacent the ends thereof and a recessed portion formed longitudinally of said support member, and roller means rotatably supported and oriented transversely to said longitudinal recessed portion and adjacent said openings formed in said strap support member in load-bearing relation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 231,975 9/80 Voos.

893,981 7/08 Cammann 11966 903,169 11/08 Brennan 11966 X 939,971 11/09 Brennan 119--66 X 1,027,527 5/ 12 Davis 2245 1,742,867 1/30 Levi. 1,782,414 11/30 Duer 190-51 X 2,009,192 7/35 Freysinger 12 2,203,234 6/40 Petersen 242107 2,551,255 5/51 Engel. 2,608,326 8/52 Spector 224-5 2,769,475 11/56 Fisher 15033 2,872,029 2/59 Cart. 3,001,566 9/61 Lipsitz 150-12 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,028,376 2/53 France.

399,445 10/33 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. EXTENDABLE SUPPORT APPARATUS TO BE USED WITH A PIECE OF LUGGAGE COMPRISING: (A) A HOLLOW HOUSING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED IN THE SHAPE OF A LUGGAGE HANDLE, SAID HOUSING INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPACED SIDES; (B) A PAIR OF ATTACHING MEMBERS SECURED TO SAID HOLLOW HOUSING AT ITS END PORTIONS AND BEING ADAPTABLE TO RELEASABLE ENGAGE COOPERATING LUGGAGE RING MEMBERS; (C) A PAIR OF SHAFTS SECURELY DISPOSED TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN SAID HOUSING SIDES AT ITS END PORTIONS, SAID SHAFTS HAVING BEARING SURFACES FORMED THEREON INTERMEDIATE THEREIN; (D) A PAIR OF HOLLOW SPOOLS, EACH OF WHICH RESPECTIVELY HAS EXTENDING FLANGE PORTIONS WITH BORES FORMED THROUGH SAID SPOOLS FOR ENGAGING SAID BEARING SURFACES OF SAID SHAFTS; (E) A PAIR OF SPRINGS, EACH OF WHICH IS RESPECTIVELY WOUND AROUND SAID SHAFT WITHIN SAID HOLLOW CENTER OF SAID SPOOL AND HAS ONE END SECURED TO ITS CORRESPONDING SHAFT AND THE OTHER END SECURED TO ITS CORRESPONDING SPOOL, SAID SPRINGS CONSTANTLY URGING SAID SPOOLS TO ROTATE IN ONE DIRECTION; (F) AND A STRAP WOUND AROUND SAID SPOOLS TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN SAID FLANGE PORTIONS, SAID STRAP BEING SECURED TO SAID SPOOLS AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE UPPER SIDE OF SAID HOUSING, SAID STRAP UPON BEING EXTENDED ROTATING SAID SPOOLS AND COILING SAID SPRINGS, AND UPON BEING RETRACTED ALLOWING SAID SPOOLS TO ROTATE IN SAID ONE DIRECTION WITHIN SAID HOUSING. 